United Church Observer
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| Editor | David Wilson |
|---|---|
| Categories | Christian denominational |
| Frequency | 11/year |
| Circulation | unknown |
| First issue | 1829 |
| Country |  Canada |
| Language | English |
| Website | ucobserver.org |
| ISSN | 0041-7238 |
The United Church Observer is an independent Canadian denominational magazine, reporting on national and international issues of faith, justice, ethics, daily living and pop culture. It has a total readership of approximately 135,000 (based on PMB and Totum Research Inc. studies), with a paid circulation of 60,000 copies distributed by subscription and newsstand sales.
[edit] History
Founded in 1829, The Observer is the oldest continuously published magazine in North America and the second oldest in the English speaking world. Begun as a weekly Methodist newspaper, The Christian Guardian, with educator and political activist Egerton Ryerson as the editor, the publication was regarded as a major voice in the life of a growing country: as today, it commented not only on matters of religion in Canada but education and political affairs. Ryerson went on to serve in government and is credited with founding the public school system in Upper Canada.
When the United Church of Canada was formed in 1925, Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist publications, including The Christian Guardian, merged into The New Outlook. By 1939, though, the publication was renamed The United Church Observer to aptly celebrate the growing, confident young denomination. The Observer has had only five changes in editorial leadership: Rev. A.J. Wilson (1939-55); Rev. Al Forrest (1955-79); Hugh McCullum (1980-90); Muriel Duncan (1990-2006); and the current editor, David Wilson.
Since 1987, The Observer has been independently incorporated, which sets it apart from major North American denominational publications. Although the magazine sets its own editorial policies, it maintains a healthy relationship with the United Church of Canada. Observer Editor David Wilson once said: “In the same way that the United Church of Canada is part of the Canadian identity, an independent Observer is inextricably part of the United Church identity — one of those unique features of the United Church that Canadians admire, whether they’re in the pews or on the sidelines.”
[edit] Current
For its feature-writing, theological reflections grounded in the challenges of everyday living, biographical profiles and in-depth news reporting, The Observer has won international acclaim for journalistic excellence and garnered more awards than any other denominational publication in Canada, and is one of the most decorated denominational publications in North America.
In March 2008, the magazine became a sponsor of the Royal Ontario Museum’s “Darwin: The Evolution Revolution.” The travelling exhibition focuses on the life and work of Charles Darwin, who helped science achieve a better understanding of the way life began. Despite having near-universal acceptance in the scientific community, Darwin’s theory of natural selection is still controversial. Recent battles in the United States over the teaching of faith-based alternatives to evolution in public schools have generated headlines worldwide and raise fundamental questions about the relationship between religion and science, as well as the separation of church and state. The Darwin exhibit has been praised as a comprehensive chronicle of one of history’s most influential thinkers. Until The Observer stepped up with a sponsorship offer, it had been unable to secure corporate support in Toronto or in any of the other North American cities where it has been shown.
“Frankly, I’m alarmed by the apparent creationist chill that has greeted the Darwin exhibit,” Observer Editor David Wilson said of the controversy. “This magazine has reported on the evolutionary wars in the U.S., and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that the politics of creationism and intelligent design are more bark than bite — and the bark is only as loud as people’s fear of it. The Darwin exhibit deserves support, and we’re not afraid to say so.”
Wilson continued: “Our sponsorship of the Darwin exhibit is very much in the spirit of this magazine’s longstanding advocacy of a healthy relationship between religion and education. I suspect Egerton Ryerson would be pleased by what we have done. It is also consistent with our strong belief that by raising the bar in terms of editorial courage and quality, denominational publications can reclaim a place in the national conversation.”
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